Improvement in treadles for sewing and other machines



am sala y (that ditta;

.enoncnjw' MILES, ofr LYNN, MASSAcHUSnrTS.-

Letters Patent No. 112,616, dated March 14, 1871.

The Schedule referred to In these Letters atent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern'.'

in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have `invented a newand improved Mode of Constructing Treadles designed to be used inconnection with Sewing and other Machines, when `such ma- `chines are"carried by steam or other power, ybeing especially adaptedV to be .usedwith the McKay sewing-machine;` and I do hereby' declare that the ifollowing is a full and exact` description thereof', reference beinghadto the accompanying drawing and to the lettersof'reference markedthereon, which drawing forms a part of this specification, and whichrepresents in- Figure I, a perspective view of the whole machineattached to the Hoor or.platform.

Figure II, a longitudinal vertical section of the same, showing thejoint K andthe position of the fulcrum D and thebosses E. E. A f iFigure III, the notched sliding plate shown in Fig.

"I, at .s

My improvement is upon that class of treadles, which is sometimes-calledpower-treadles, and Vis not designed to propel anymachine by foot-power,

but simply, by its action, to throw a tightening pulley up .against abelt, or? to thro'w some clutching arrangement into connection, 'andthereby cause a transmission of power from'the shaft-pulley to themachine to be operated." Y

In running `a sewing-machine carried by power with a treadle, asordinarily constructed, the op-4 i rigid, vini'lexible bar, I-use oneprovided with a freely turning joint near the center of its length,V:shown at K, in Fig. I, thus forming the creadlel oftwo sections, B C,of nearly equal length.

Under section (l -I place a supporting-block or fulcrum, D,of therequired height, at such apoint in relation to the center of `thissection as shall give n such a `decided ,preponderance to the endvcarrying the notched plate TG that its weight will always bring it downtethe .floor or platform `without the aid of aspring.

Theforward enillcf section-B provide with a thin l Y plate, A A, which Icall the foot-plate. This plate is ,"Be it known that I, GEORGE W.MILES, of Lynn,

of suitable form, and of ample size to allow the use of either the rightor left foot, at the pleasure of the operator.

` The forward edge of the foot-plate is kept in position, very nearly inContact with the door or platform, by being attachedv to the same by thejournals I I and boxes or bearings L L.

The other end of this section Bcis free to rise and fall with the end ofsection C, to which it is attached at the joint K. j

To the further end of section C `I attach, in a vertical position, athin triangular block or plate, G, shown in position inv Fig. I, anddetached by Fig. III.

The lower edge oi'fthis plate is Vdovetailed, and isif held to thetreadle-bar by two cleats, which form a dovetailed groove. V

lhis plat/e is formed higher at one end, and providecLwit-h'the seriesof notchesfand made adjustable in the dovetailed groove in order tocompensate for any slight variations in the length of the rod H or ofthe belt used, or any other similar variations which may exist or whichit may be desirable to make.

Upon the underl side of the treadle-bar, section C, are cast severalbosses, designed to enter a corresponding depression inthe top of thefulcrumblock D.

lhis boss or projection keeps the tradle-bar in position, and severalsimilar ones are provided,.so

that the p ositiou of the fulcrumcan. be changed' it' desired. l Y

All binding of the parts is avoided, and perfect freedom allowed to the'movements oi' the treadle,

by the play of plate Gr and by the con-struction of the fulcrum-bloch`I)which is so made that it is capable'of a rocking movement either on asuitable bed-piece or the floor or platform, to which it may point abovethe floor or platform, and in using the treadle he has simply to slidehis foot from the door or Yplatform up the inclinedwfoot-plate in orderto cause adepression of the furtherr end of section B'. This movement,of course, correspondingly depresses Athe forward end of section C,which causes the further Vend of this section, which, by means of `the pnotched plate-G, is in connection with the rod H,

which supports and operates the arm of the sewing or lever C, thefnlcrum D, and the sliding head G, or other machine carrying thetghtening-pniley, to when combined and arranged to operate substantiallyrise till it produces the requisite tension ot' the belt as set forth.

passing from the shaft-pulley to the machine to be GEORGE W. MILES.operated.

Vhat, therefore, I claim as my invention, and de- Vitnesses: sire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-. A. E. BLOOD,

The combination of the treadle A B with the bar ROBT. RAMSDELL.

